Sometime after Halloween, the trailhead parking lots start to thin out. The rain comes in cold and stays. By afternoon it's sleet, and some mornings there's an inch of wet snow on the windshield. Hunters who've been going hard since the archery opener start finding reasons to sleep in.
That's a shame, though, because the deer haven't gone anywhere. If anything, a nasty front gets them on their feet, feeding hard and moving in daylight. The hunter still sitting when the weather breaks is usually the one with a story to tell.
Getting through that kind of weather means staying warm and dry at the same time, and that's the job Blocker Outdoors built its Shield Drencher Insulated series to do. The Jacket, Bib and Coverall have built a following among hunters who don't let a forecast change their plans. What's new this fall is the look. The Shield Drencher Insulated Jacket and Bib now come in Realtree AB1, right in time for the stretch of season that's hardest on gear.
Warmth Where You Need It
The jacket runs on thermal-mapped insulation, which is a fancy way of saying the warmth goes where your body actually loses heat. There's 180 grams in the body, 140 grams in the sleeves and 100 grams in the hood and collar. You get plenty of core warmth for a long sit without sleeves so puffy you can't draw a bow or shoulder a rifle.
The matching bib brings insulated warmth to the lower half, with adjustable suspenders and snap-closure ankles that cinch down to keep drafts and snow out of your boots. The fabric is lightweight and flexible, so you can still climb, crawl and move without feeling like you're wrapped in a sleeping bag.
"Cold alone you can dress for. Cold and wet together is what sends people home early," said Steve Allie, Marketing Director for NEXUS Outdoors. "The Drencher Insulated handles both, so hunters can sit through the kind of weather that moves deer."
Dry, Quiet and Fresh
All three pieces are built around Blocker's RainBlocker® membrane, which is waterproof, windproof and breathable. It keeps rain, sleet and snow out while letting sweat from the walk in escape, and every seam is heat-sealed and taped. On the outside, a soft, brushed polyester tricot keeps things quiet when a buck is close enough to hear you shift your weight.
S3® antimicrobial technology rides along, too. Silver ions go to work on odor-causing bacteria, so the series stays fresher through long sits and back-to-back days in the stand.
Built for the Details
The jacket carries a harness port for treestand hunters, an adjustable three-piece hood, and a full front zip with a storm flap. It also has hook-and-loop cuffs, a drawcord waist to seal in heat, and two snap-closure waist pockets.
One Piece, Zero Gaps
Some hunters would rather not think about the spot where a jacket meets a bib. For them, the Shield Drencher Insulated Coverall puts the whole system in one piece. It carries 180 grams of insulation in the body and 140 grams in the sleeves.
Leg zippers make it easy to pull on over boots at the truck, so you can walk in cool and suit up at the base of the tree. A harness port keeps treestand hunters connected.
"We hear from a lot of hunters who wear Drencher Insulated from the November rut straight through the last day of the season," Allie said. "It's warm, it's quiet, and it doesn't quit when the weather does. That's the whole point."
The Shield Drencher Insulated Jacket and Bib come in sizes small through 3XL. They're available in Realtree AB1 and APX, plus Mossy Oak Bottomland, Country Roots and Terra Gila, with an MSRP of $119.99 each. The Shield Drencher Insulated Coverall comes in sizes medium through 3XL in Realtree APX and Mossy Oak Country Roots, with an MSRP of $159.99. All three are available at blockeroutdoors.com.
Shield™ Drencher Insulated JacketFEATURES:
- RainBlocker® waterproof, windproof, breathable membrane
- Heat-sealed, waterproof-taped seams
- Thermal-mapped insulation: 180g body, 140g sleeves, 100g hood/collar
- Quiet, soft brushed polyester tricot fabric
- S3® antimicrobial odor control
- Adjustable three-piece hood
- Full front zip with storm flap
- Harness port
- Drawcord waist
- Hook-and-loop cuffs
- Two snap-closure waist pockets
- SIZES: SM–3XL
- CAMO: Realtree AB1, APX, Mossy Oak Bottomland, Country Roots, Terra Gila
MSRP: $119.99
Shield™ Drencher Insulated BibsFEATURES:
- RainBlocker® waterproof, windproof, breathable membrane
- Heat-sealed, waterproof-taped seams
- Insulated for late-season cold
- Lightweight, flexible waterproof-breathable fabric
- S3® antimicrobial odor control
- Adjustable suspenders
- Snap-closure ankles
- SIZES: SM–3XL
- CAMO: Realtree AB1, APX; Mossy Oak Bottomland, Country Roots, Terra Gila
MSRP $119.99
Shield™ Drencher Insulated CoverallFEATURES:
- RainBlocker® waterproof, windproof, breathable membrane
- Heat-sealed, waterproof-taped seams
- Insulation: 180g body, 140g sleeves
- Quiet, soft brushed polyester tricot fabric
- S3® antimicrobial odor control
- Leg zippers for easy on/off over boots
- Harness port
- SIZES: MD–3XL
- CAMO: Realtree APX; Mossy Oak Country Roots
MSRP $159.99